New Cyberattack Using NSA Exploit Spreads Across the World

A massive cyberattack has broken out worldwide, with computer networks in Ukraine and Russia the hardest hit, and the rest of Europe and North America quickly following. This attack, like most recent attacks, is based on an NSA-developed exploit called EternalBlue.

The exploit rests on a flaw in Microsoft’s implementation of the SMB version 1.0 protocol, though Microsoft released a patch back in March for all current Windows operating systems. There are still clearly a lot of organizations that haven’t gotten around to installing it, however, as this is the latest in a string of major attacks using the NSA-developed exploit.

It would be entirely appropriate if this malware package was found to be running rampant through the “letter agencies” as well as on the Hill. Afterall, US government agencies are always loath to spend the money to upgrade their IT systems – there are still systems in some agencies that are running Winblows 95.

There is a creative argument being made that since Ukraine is suffering most from the Malware that it is really a Russian plot.

There is a more reasonable explanation, the Russians started hardening their computer systems mo’s ago when the NSA originated Malware was uncovered and Ukraine didn’t benefit because they have severed all ties with Russia since Maidan.